I just wanted to share something, which happened 3 days ago.
I was walking my dog on the leash as usual. We were walking on the green grass area, where is occupied recently by some cows. My dog, who is very well trained, went closer to the fence, and suddenly got electrified and screamed, jumped and fell down.
I could not understand what happened, my dog (Labrador Retriever) was lying on the ground and shocked. Then I went and touched the fence myself; and I understood that it was an electric fence and there were NO warning what so ever.
My dog used to play there always, but now he can not even get close, he is very afraid of walking out. He was still shaking at home after 2-3 hours.
I wrote an e-mail to Mediendienste der Stadt Zürich. I got a reply next morning, telling me that "I'm not sure what kind of explanation you expect, though. Electric fences to keep animals in their pastures are not uncommon in Switzerland."
So now I don't understand, did I have to know that it was an electric fence?There are tons of children playing in that area, do they know that? Or all the unleashed dogs etc?
Shouldn't they use a warning sign? Who is going to explain me if anything happens to my dog or myself?
Anyway, just wanted to share. He is fine now, but it was nightmare for me
You don't need a sign as they are easy to recognise since they nearly all use the standard sort of temporary fence tape which is common around the world.
The authorities are coorrect that its not practical to put signs up all around as the sort of fence used is known to many. As far as kids or dogs knowing if they dont they will soon learn and the current used is pretty low so they mainly get a nasty zap
It's all part of the Swiss Selberschuld society, where people are responsible for their own actions. This is not a nanny state!
The countryside around us is full of electric fences. They are either simply wires, or tapes with wire interwoven. The posts have insulated supports for the wires. There is a battery and shock unit connected and your can generally hear this clicking every second or so.
Touching the fence yourself after it just floored your dog indicates a certain ignorance and naïvety of the countryside...
Oh yeah, I know . It was just the panic reaction, like something happened but I didn't know why, it was very dark and I couldn't see clearly. I didn't hear anything, maybe I missed
I didn't know these. I have always seen signs actually, or I didn't pay attention till this happened.
Yes, one is expected to know that any wire fence surrounding a field might be electrified. It's part and parcel of country life.
Some farms post a yellow 'Achtung, Gefahr' sign, but many don't... I would imagine that warnings regs, if they exist, might vary by area, as everything in Switzerland does.
Coming from other countries and other legal systems that these fences exist, or are unsigned, can take a newcomer by surprise. But the main activity in a farming community is farming, not leisure. Those who use the countryside for leisure are expected to be responsible for their own safety, to use trails sensibly.
I hope your pooch is OK. There have been several threads in the pets section discussing how to help a dog get over the trauma of an electric shock. I' m on my verdammt iPad so can't link, but search for the thread 'My Poor Stressed Bella.'
Like, a single strand fence would keep a herd of rampaging one ton beasts safely restricted, without a few thousand volts flowing through it.
The cows soon learn not to touch it, and they're, supposedly, not as intelligent as people.
...... and a tip for anyone, wishing to test whether it's live or not (if they don't hear clicking): take a stalk of grass and touch it with that - just a gentle tingle.
I believe you are giving too much credit to dogs if you believe that a warning sign would help them to understand the concept of an electrical fence....
Everyone here (later edit- in rural Jura mountains...) knows about electric fences. It is however very unusual for a dog to be floored by one, so the voltage must have been exceptionally high. How long was your dog down? As kids we used to dare each other to touch them- and it was just a bit of a jolt. Recently I went under one in our field and somehow touched it, and it just made me jump a bit, nothing more! It would certainly not 'floor' anyone.
...and those things that look like a very flimsy form of level crossing gates, two of which block the track, one from the left and one from the right, are also 'live', so when you want to push one of them open to get through, grab the rubbery bit! and the same goes for the hooked coiled 'fence pieces' which also run across paths. Hold the plastic bit and unhook it, go through, rehook it.
The farmer we used to live opposite deliberately brought his young calves out and made them touch the electric fence to learn that it was a no no. They soon got the message and never tried to break out.
I'm not sure I would have known to keep my dog (or myself) away, either, as electric fences just aren't common where I'm from. And on the rare occasion that there is one, there is usually a warning sign.
If that fence was enough to knock your dog to the ground, I'm sure it could do the same to a small child.
What's wrong with a regular fence that doesn't require electricity, anyways?
Have you ever dragged fencing about and put in posts suitable for a cow-safe fence before fastening the fencing to them with staples? I thought not. The thin 'posts' for the electric wiring can be moved all over the place quite easily when a different part of the meadow is to be grazed. Probably other reasons too, but this will do to start with.
Nothing, just not the way things are done here. Electric fencing is the norm. Also farmers tend to divide their fields a lot during the year. The one across the road from us has had his big field divided into several smaller ones over the summer, moving the cows frequently between the fields. Now it’s autumn and the grass isn’t growing back quickly he’s turned it back into one big field again for them to roam in. That’s not easy to do with a post and rails system.
Much lighter, much easier to move from area to area, and to remove for winter. With cross country skiers using thos areas in winter and to protect wildlife getting ripped by snow covered barbed wire- all barbed wire had to be taken away beforehand- Huge, onerous and difficult task.
When I was a nipper in England (and so high), electric fences weren't so common and fenced fields for livestock were more permanent, hence barbed wire was used a lot ......... I have a scar just above one of my eyes to prove it.